Chapter 36 - Magnetism

Sections:
  1. Magnetic Poles
  2. Magnetic Fields
  3. The Nature of a Magnetic Field
  4. Magnetic Domains
  5. Electric Currents and Magnetic Fields
  6. Magnetic Forces on Moving Charged Particles
  7. Magnetic Forces on Current-Carrying Wires
  8. Meters to Motors
  9. The Earth's Magnetic Field

Chapter 36 Section 1 - Magnetic Poles



The strength of the interaction between magnets depends on the distance

  • magnetic poles- regions on a magnet that produce magnetic forces.
    • It is important to remember that like poles repel (north and north) and opposite poles attract (north and south)
    • A difference between electric charges and magnetic poles is that electric charges can be isolated, and magnetic poles cannot.
      • This is because the poles depend on each other, and a north pole cannot exist if there is no south pole.
      • It is because the electrons do not need to be accompanied by protons
external image bar.gif
    • north-seeking pole- the end that points northward on a compass.
    • south-seeking pole- the end that points southward on a compass.
external image attractrepel2.gif
*magnets can be broken in half, and result in two new magnets; each with a north and south pole.

Chapter 36 Section 2 - Magnetic Fields


  • magnetic field- a force field that fills the space around every magnet or current-carrying wire. Another magnet or current-carrying wire introduced into this region will experience a magnetic force.
    • magnetic field lines- these spread out from one pole, curve around the magnet, and return to the other pole.
An example of magnetic field lines on the Earth
An example of magnetic field lines on the Earth


  • The direction of the field lines of a magnet always go from the south pole to the north pole.
  • Also, the closer the lines are in the field, than the stronger the magnet.
    • This is why the lines are closer together towards the ends of the north and south pole rather than in the middle of the magnet.


Chapter 36 Section 3 - The Nature of a Magnetic Field


~ Magnetism is related to electricity.
~ A magnetic field is produced by the motion of electric charge and since motion is relative, the magnetic field is relative as well.
~ Both the orbital motion and the spinning motion of every electron in an atom produce magnetic fields. These fields combine constructively or destructively to produce the magnetic field of the atom. The resulting field is greatest for iron atoms.

external image flux-images.jpg


Chapter 36 Section 4 - Magnetic Domains

  • magnetic domains- microscopic clusters of atoms with their magnetic fields aligned.
    • These domains are iron atoms that are so strong that they tend to align with each other
    • The magnetic domains are microscopic
external image magnets-domains.jpg
  • Because domains are rotated when they become aligned in the presence of a strong magnet, often when the magnet is taken away, they will return to their original position.
    • This does not occur when permanent magnets are made with soft iron (which is easier to magnetize)
    • Although they are permanent by design, or by stroking iron with another magnet, they can also be weakened by dropping them or heating them.

Chapter 36 Section 5 - Electric Currents and Magnetic Fields

  • electromagnet- magnet with a field produced by electric current; usually in the form of a wire coiled around a piece of iron.
~ The magnetic field that surrounds a current-carrying conductor can be demonstrated by arranging an assortment of magnetic compasses around a wire and passing a current through it.
~ The compasses line up with the magnetic field produced by the current and show it to be a pattern of concentric circles about hte wire.

~ When the current reverses direction, the compasses turn completely around, showing that the direction of the magnetic field changes also.
external image sci_dia_79.gif
~ SEE ELECTROMAGNETS ARE COOOOLL!

Chapter 36 Section 6 - Magnetic Forces on Moving Charged Particles


  • If a charged particle moves in a magnetic field, the magnetic character of its motion becomes evident.
    • When the particle moves, it experiences a deflecting force, and is greatest when it is moving perpendicular to the magnetic field lines.
    • The force acually reaches zero when it is parallel to the magnetic field lines.
      • The direction of force is perpendicular to both the magnetic field lines and the velocity of the charged particle
      • This explains why it is deflected when it crosses the field lines, but not when it is parallel
    • This force is unique in that it does not act in a direction between sources, but instead perpendicular to magnetic field and velocity.
      rightvelocity.gif (1829 bytes)
      rightvelocity.gif (1829 bytes)


Chapter 36 Section 7 - Magnetic Forces on Current-Carrying Wires

~ Simple logic tells you that if a charged particle moving through a magnetic field experiences a deflecting force, then a current of charged particles moving through a magnetic field also experiences a deflecting force.
~If the direction of current in the wire is reversed, the deflecting force acts in the opposite direction.

      • So answer this one: What law of physics tells you that if a current-carrying wire produces a force on a magnet, a magnet must produce a force on a current-carrying wire?
        • Answer: Newton's Third Law, which applies to ALL forces of nature.
external image current%20carrying%20conductor.jpg

Chapter 36 Section 8 - Meters to Motors

    • galvanometer- a sensitive current-indicating instrument. When an electric current passes through the coil, each loop produces its own effect on the needle so that a very small current can be detected.
external image 33NP0033.GIF
    • ammeter- when a galvanometer is calibrated to measure current (amperes).
external image 05058.png

    • voltmeter- when a galvanometer is calibrated to measure electric potential (volts).
external image voltmeter-car-battery-hull.jpg
    • brushes- the parts of the wire that brush against stationary contacts on the shaft of a dc motor.
    • armature- an iron cylinder that rotates when energized with electric current and is wound with many loops of wire.

Chapter 36 Section 9 - The Earth's Magnetic Field

The earth itself is a huge magnet, and therefore has a north pole and a south pole.
    • This means that compasses that are attracted to the magnetic north pole do not actually point north.
    • magnetic declination- the discrepancy between the orientation of a compass and true north.
external image 456px-Magnetic_declination.svg.png
The magnetic field of the earth can be explained by examining the molten iron core of the earth.
  • Some believe that the moving charges going around the earth create the magnetic field
  • Others argue that the currents of the heat from the core cause the magnetic field (due to the release of nuclear energy in the form of heat, and radioactive decay combined with the earth's rotation)
    • The earths poles are not permanent, and eveery 7oo,000 years or so, the poles switch with each other

Practice Problems

The following practice problems were assigned by Mr. Strong and are found in the textbook:

Pages 575-576 Review Questions #1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 19
Page 576 Think and Explain #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Sources